


take me out

by ClassyFangirl



Category: Pacific Rim (2013)
Genre: First Date, M/M, Miscommunication
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-29
Updated: 2013-09-29
Packaged: 2017-12-27 23:16:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,224
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/984810
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ClassyFangirl/pseuds/ClassyFangirl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>People seem to think Hermann has been asking everyone out. Newt is offended that he hasn't been asked. As usual, the Shatterdome rumor mill gets it wrong.</p>
            </blockquote>





	take me out

**Author's Note:**

> A fill for an anonymous prompter on tumblr!

“Correct me if I’m wrong,” Tendo says, dropping his tray next to Newt’s, “but I thought you and Gottlieb were together.”

Newt nearly chokes on a bite of apple. “Wh-what? No! We’re, we’re not- we’re not!” He wipes his mouth and leans in conspiratorially. “Why? Does he- would you say that he’s interested?”

Tendo looks hesitant. “Well, I figured you were a couple,” he says. “Which is why I thought I should tell you that I think Gottlieb tried to ask me out.”

“ _What_?”

 

ooo

 

“Flowers are always romantic,” Tendo had said in response to Hermann’s question. “Never met anybody, guy or girl, who didn’t like flowers. Chocolate, too.”

Hermann nodded thoughtfully. “Yes, yes. And you like those, yourself?”

“Well, yeah, sure, got nothing against ‘em. My _wife,_ Alison, she likes to bring home these chocolates she gets from some nice place downtown.”

Hermann smiled. “Thank you, Mr. Choi. I appreciate this.”

“My wife,” he repeated meaningfully.

“Yes, yes, I heard you. Thank you.”

 

ooo

 

Newt groans and buries his face in his hands. “Oh, _god_. Why? Why _you_?”

“Well, hey now, I’m a pretty handsome guy-”

“Oh, shut up, everyone knows that. But why you and not _me_?”

Tendo winces sympathetically. “You got it bad, don’t you, buddy?”

“Got what bad?” Raleigh asks. He and Mako take a seat at the other side of the table, moving so fluently and in sync it makes Newt’s heart hurt. He groans again and drops his head to the table.

“Geiszler’s in love with Gottlieb but Gottlieb asked me out,” Tendo says.

“They’re not married?” Raleigh asks, brow furrowing. “Oh- oh, _man,_ now it makes sense. Oh, shit.”

“What?” Newt asks, his voice muffled by the table.

“I think he tried to ask me out, too.”

“Are you fucking kidding-”

 

ooo

 

“Things that are romantic,” Raleigh repeated, considering the question. “Well- a nice restaurant’s always good. Something fancy- but not necessarily _too_ fancy.”

“What sort of restaurant do you think is best? What kind of cuisine do you prefer?”

Raleigh thought about it. “I miss American food sometimes, but I do like sushi.” He got a sappy grin on his face. “Mako brought me to this great sushi place last week, it was a real nice place-”

“Yes, thank you, Mr. Becket. This is all greatly appreciated.”

 

ooo

 

Newt whines loudly and covers his head with his arms. “I can’t believe this. I can’t _believe_ this. You, too? What’s wrong with _me_? We’ve known each other for ten years! He’s known you for a _month_!”

Raleigh shrugs apologetically. “Sorry, Doctor.”

Mako fiddles with her utensils quietly. “Doctor Geiszler,” she begins slowly. “I don’t wish to upset you, but...”

“Oh my god. Not you too.”

“I didn’t think that was what it was at the time, but after hearing about Raleigh and Tendo’s experiences-”

“Oh my _god,_ please, no-”

 

ooo

 

“Stuffed animals,” Mako said immediately. “Everyone likes stuffed animals.”

Hermann’s brow furrowed slightly. “Stuffed toys,” he repeated.

Mako nodded fervently. “Oh, yes! They seem childish, but they are very, very sweet- like a symbol of innocent, intimate love.” She smiled. “And they are very cute.”

“Well- all right. Thank you, Miss Mori. Oh, before I forget- Mr. Becket told me about a sushi restaurant you brought him to. Would you mind giving me an address?”

 

ooo

 

Newt pushes himself to his feet. “No. I won’t stand for this! I’m gonna- I’m gonna confront him. I have to!”

He storms off just as Herc makes it to the table. “What’s wrong with him?”

“Gottlieb’s apparently asked out everybody in the Shatterdome except for him,” Tendo explains. He raises an eyebrow. “He didn’t happen to ask you out too, did he, sir?”

Herc starts to shake his head, then pauses. “Aw, hell. Is _that_ what that was?”

Raleigh and Mako look like they don’t know whether to laugh or to cry.

 

ooo

 

“ _Hermann!_ ”

Hermann looks up from his desk. “Ah, Newton- I was just about to come find you. I wanted to ask you something.”

Newt crosses his arms. “Yeah? And what’s that?”

Hermann stands and clears his throat. “Newton, would you do me the honor of accompanying me on a date this Friday night?”

Newt appears to quake with rage. Hermann wonders, panicked, if he’s misread the situation completely.

“So that’s how it is!” Newt snaps. “Oh, okay- I’m, I’m your _last resort?_ Sure, sure! Let’s ask out every other person in the Shatterdome, and when _they_ say no, that’s okay,  ‘cause _surely_ Newt’s desperate and, and lonely enough to say yes! Well! Have _I_ got news for you, buddy!” He moves forward and points a shaking finger at Hermann. Hermann realizes that Newt is close to tears. “No! And- and I would’ve said yes if I hadn’t heard about, about how you tried everyone else first! So I-” He lets out a hiccuping laugh. “I guess we both wish I was more ignorant, huh?”

“Newton!” Hermann takes hold of Newt’s shoulders and looks him dead in the eye. “I haven’t asked this of anyone else. What on earth gave you that idea?”

Newt blinks at him. “I was- I was talking to Tendo, and Raleigh, and Mako, and they all talked about you going up to them and asking what they thought was romantic, and they all thought you were asking them out.” He rubs at his eyes with the back of his hand. “What- what _were_ you doing?”

Hermann can feel his face heating up- oh, god, all those people thought he was trying to _date_ them? How embarrassing. “I was looking for advice,” he says. “I wanted to figure out the best way to, ah, ask you out.”

“Wh- really?”

“Well, yes. Ah, here-” He returns to his desk and pulls out a silver box. “Chocolate, as Mr. Choi recommended. I believe I recalled that you like ones with peanut butter in the middle? If I read the labels correctly, they should mostly be peanut butter.”

Newt gapes at the box. “Hermann, I-”

“Also, I, ah, found this.” He hands him a plush Yamarashi, a startlingly good likeness despite the large, deceptively sweet eyes. “I don’t think it’s as ‘cute’ as Miss Mori was hoping, but I...I saw it and I thought of you.”

Newt grins at the stuffed kaiju. “Oh my _god,_ Hermann. You’re- you’re a big _sweetheart_. Since when?”

Hermann shrugs, pretending he is not blushing. “I wanted to do this correctly. I would be...quite heartbroken if you said no.”

Newt pulls him into a fierce hug. “Yes,” he says. “Yes, yes, yes- oh my _god,_ Hermann, I’m sorry I ever doubted you. Except with science. I don’t apologize for that. But-” He stands on tiptoe and kisses Hermann’s cheek. “Yes. I will _totally_ go on a date with you.”

Hermann smiles broadly. “Excellent. There is a sushi restaurant nearby that Mr. Becket recommended quite highly- I do hope you like sushi.”

“Dude, _absolutely_.” Newt grins at him. “I’d go to the worst dive bar in the world if it was a date with you. Good sushi is just icing on the cake.”

“Fantastic. Now- what should we do about our, ah, miscommunication with the others?”

Newt looks thoughtful. “I say we don’t tell them, for a while,” he says. “Let’s see how long it takes them to figure it out.”


End file.
